Method and system for managing trial service subscriptions for a mobile communications device

Abstract

A method and system for managing trial service subscriptions for a user of a mobile communications device in a communications network. The system and method provide the capability to allocate one or more trial services to the mobile communications device of a new user. A new user includes a subscriber having an active billing identifier and an identification record (e.g. a SIM) that was created within a grace period, or a subscriber that is currently deactivated but has a SIM record that is created within a grace period. A new user can also include a subscriber changing to a new mobile communications device and registering within a grace period.

1 . A method for activating a trial service for a user of a mobile communications device, said method comprising the steps of:
 determining if the user is a new user;   providing a trial service if the user qualifies as a new user;   wherein qualifying the user as a new user comprises determining if there is a billing identifier for the user in a provisioning system, and if an identification record was created for the user within a grace period.   
   
   
       2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step of qualifying comprises determining if an identification record was created for the user within a predetermined period and if the user is currently deactivated and has a billing identifier in the provisioning system. 
   
   
       3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said billing identifier is based on presence of an active account for the user. 
   
   
       4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said identification record comprises a SIM record. 
   
   
       5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step of qualifying comprises determining if the user is registered with the provisioning system and an identifier assigned to the user is changed for a new carrier and the user registers with the new carrier within a grace period. 
   
   
       6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said new carrier comprises a value added reseller. 
   
   
       7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a regular service is provided if user registers with the new carrier outside of said grace period. 
   
   
       8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a new user comprises a user acquiring a new mobile communications device and registering said new mobile communications device with the provisioning system within a predetermined period. 
   
   
       9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said predetermined period comprises a grace period, and said grace period being defined by a carrier. 
   
   
       10 . In a communications network, a system for allocating a trial service to a user of a mobile communications device, said system comprising:
 means for registering the user with a provisioning system in the communications network;   means for determining if the user is associated with a new subscription;   means for providing a trial service to the user if said subscription is new;   wherein said new subscription comprises a billing identifier in said provisioning system for the user, and an identification record being created for the user within a grace period.   
   
   
       11 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said new subscription comprises a billing identifier in said provisioning system with the user being currently deactivated and having an identification record created within a grace period. 
   
   
       12 . The system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said grace period is associated with a service provider, and comprises at least one day up to a maximum number of days. 
   
   
       13 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said new subscription comprises an identifier assigned to the user and the user is registered with a new carrier within a grace period. 
   
   
       14 . The system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said new carrier comprises a value added reseller. 
   
   
       15 . The system as claimed in  claim 14 , further including means for providing a regular service if the user is registered with the new carrier outside of said grace period. 
   
   
       16 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said means for providing a trial service comprises means for providing a plurality of trial services to a user having a new subscription. 
   
   
       17 . A computer program product for managing a trial service for a user of a mobile communications device, the trial service and other services being allocated via a provisioning system, said computer program product comprising:
 a medium for storing computer-readable instructions;   said computer-readable instructions including,
 determining a new user by checking if there is a billing identifier for the user in the provisioning system and if an identification record was created for the user within a predetermined period of time; and 
 providing a trial service if the user qualifies as a new user. 
   
   
   
       18 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said computer-readable instructions for determining a new user comprises determining if an identification record was created for the user within a predetermined period and if the user is currently deactivated and has a billing identifier in the provisioning system. 
   
   
       19 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said computer-readable instructions for determining a new user comprises determining if the user has registered with the provisioning system and an identifier assigned to the user has changed for a new carrier and if the user registers with the new carrier within a predetermined period of time. 
   
   
       20 . The computer program product as claimed in  claim 17 , further including computer-readable instructions for providing the user with a regular service if the user registers outside of said predetermined period.